LONDON, Aug. 10 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * Javed Akhtar was ordered to repay £66,917 after fraudulently securing a £50,000 Covid Bounce Back Loan for his car dealership * He claimed his company's turnover was £400,000 when applying for the maximum loan available under the scheme * Akhtar was handed a suspended sentence at an earlier hearing this year following Insolvency Service investigations into his fraudulent actions A Bradford secon...
LONDON, Aug. 10 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Income Contingent Repayment Student Loans Undergraduate loans Income Contingent Student Loans for Plan 1 (1998-2012) undergraduate loans The applicable Retail Price Index (RPI rate) is4.1% for the period 1 September 2026to 31 August 2027. The interest rate for Plan 1 income-contingent repayment student loans is RPI (4.1%) or the Bank Base Rate+ 1% (currently4.75%), whichever is lower. The maximum ...
LONDON, Aug. 9 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * Prime Minister wastes no time to end subscription traps, with new "easy to exit" rules brought forward to help consumers cancel easily and prevent them losing more money * He is also taking action to tackle misleading discounts and rip off prices that fleece customers * This is just the start of a series of 'everyday fixes' that will be announced to ease the cost of living and give families room to breathe The ...
LONDON, Aug. 8 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * Maritime operations to monitor Russian activity up 25% across the first seven months of the year. * Royal Navy have deployed four warships and naval helicopters to protect UK waters during 21 days of intense operations. Royal Navy warships and helicopters spent 21 days on operations monitoring Russian activity in UK waters and the North Atlantic throughout July - a 25% increase in the last year, new figures rel...
LONDON, Aug. 7 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: People taking certain prescriptionorover‑the‑countermedicines are being reminded to take extra care in warmerweather, as some treatments canmakeitharder for the body to stay hydrated, regulate temperature, or cope with sun exposure. The advice is part of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's (MHRA) 'Summer-proof your health'campaign, which highlights practical steps people can take...
LONDON, Aug. 7 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: On his first visittoScotland as Defence Secretary, WesStreeting hastoday underlined the nation's vital role in the UK's defence. During the visit, Mr Streetingsawfirst-hand how UK defence investment is supporting national security, skilledjobsandservice families, withnearly12,000jobs inScotlandsupported by defence. Whilein Rosyth, the Defence Secretary toured Babcock's facility, where the Royal Navy's Type 31 fr...
LONDON, Aug. 7 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * digitalticketingtrials extended across Yorkshirefor asimpler, smarterway totravel aheadof the creation ofGreat British Railways * follows successful trials, with over 30,000 journeysfrom Leeds to Harrogate and Doncaster toSheffieldusing digital pay-as-you-goalready undertaken * passengersuse an app with GPS that calculates thebestfareso theycan travel flexibly, knowingthey'llget the best value ticket Thousandsm...
LONDON, Aug. 7 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: We offer our sympathy to all those who have been affected by this horrific attack. You can apply to theVictims of Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme 2012if you were injured or bereaved by the incident and you are a British,EU, EEAor Swiss citizen who was ordinarily resident in the UK, a member of the UK armed forces, or a close relative or family member of someone in one of these categories. Other criteria a...
LONDON, Aug. 7 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: The Charity Commission is aware of a recent cyber security incident involving Beacon CRM and the potential impact on charities that use its services. We appreciate the concern this incident will have caused to the charities affected and their supporters. Given the nature of this incident and the number of charities that may be affected, the Commission has been actively monitoring the situation and is in contact ...
LONDON, Aug. 7 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Sunder Katwala Sunder Katwala is the Director of British Future, an independent, non-partisan thinktank and charity. The organisation engages with questions of identity, immigration and integration, seeking to build confidence and common ground in a changing Britain. Since May 2026, Sunder has been a Commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and is a member of the Independent Commission on Communi...